1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control switch, and more particularly to a control switch having an operating mechanism comprising an operating lever arranged such that, by swinging or turning the operating mechanism, there are provided different states of electric conduction. Such a control switch can be used as a control switch in a navigation system.
A navigation system mounted on a motor vehicle is required to have not only a function of moving a point indicated by the cursor on a monitor in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction at a right angle thereto, but also a function of moving such a point in oblique directions between the X- and Y-axis directions. The navigation system is also required to have a function of setting the point position to which the cursor has been moved.
The control switch of the present invention satisfies the requirements mentioned above.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 59-25075 discloses a control switch in which the operating lever can be swung and turned so that any of different states of electric conduction is provided dependent on the position to which the operating lever is set. This control switch may be used, for example, for setting any of the states of electric conduction where motors are to be reversely and forwardly rotated. Further, this control switch provides four different states of electric conduction and can therefore be used as a switch for controlling any of the positions of the fender mirrors of a motor vehicle.
It may be considered to apply the control switch discussed in the publication above-mentioned, to a switch for controlling the moving direction of a point indicated by the cursor on the monitor in a navigation system. However, this control switch can provide only four different states of conduction. Accordingly, when such four different states of conduction are respectively used for setting a point in the X- and Y-axis directions at the positive and nevative sides, it is not possible to provide four different states of conduction for setting a point in diagonal directions at the positive and negative sides. Further, this control switch is not provided with a function of setting the point position to which the cursor has been moved on the monitor.